OUR GROWING PRACTICES
Our Farm
Small Scale
We farm on 3 acres of rented land in the Marshwood Vale. We have loamy soil with a generous clay content which puts our crops through their paces. Our less-than-perfect growing conditions enable us to grow really resilient crops which will thrive in any UK garden.
Certified Organic Land
Our field is certified organic by the Soil Associations this means we:
- Build soil health by rotating our crops, sowing green manures and using organic compost.
- Minimise external inputs onto the farm, aiming to be as self-reliant and sustainable as possible.
- Don't us any chemical inputs such as fertilisers or herbicides.
- Have our site and growing records audited each year by an inspector from the soil association.
Organic & Agroecological
As well as being Soil Association licensee, we are also members of the Landworker's Alliance, a union for small scale, agroecological farmers, foresters and land-based workers. We see ourselves as part of a wider movement to radically transform food system.
Preserving Genetic Diversity
We see ourselves as seed stewards and we grow and select seed crops with genetic diversity in mind. We want future generations to have seeds with the genetic tool kit to cope with future environmental challenges.
Why do we grow organically?
We grow our seeds to organic principles for two reasons:
1. Its better for the environment.
We came to farming through an appreciation of the natural world. As seed growers we see ourselves as part of a wider ecosystem which encompasses people, animals, plants and soil. We want to protect and regenerate the land we farm.
2. It makes for better varieties.
We want to select plants that are robust enough to thrive in any garden. One of our farm tenants is to 'treat them mean'. This means we don't molly coddle our plants with fertilisers, insecticides and fungicides. We expect our plants to fend for themselves and in doing so breed plants that flourish.
If you'd like to learn more about how we grow seeds and the varieties we offer in our catalogue, follow us on instagram or sign up to our newsletter